Power of Three: Book 1: The Sight
by SpiritGirl183
Summary: What if Dovepaw weren't one of the Three, and what if, besides Jaykit, Hollykit, and Lionkit, there was another. "The Tinder's flames remain unbroken." An adopted story; remaking of The Power of Three series by Erin Hunter. R&R! adopted from Cinderpaw11.
1. Alliances

**Hello, my peeps! This is a new story, adopted by me. The first chapter, the prologue, was originally created by Cinderpaw11, but was discontinued and up for adoption! So, now I have it and will continue it. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don not own warriors, nor these cats; no, they belong to the Erins. The cats with a label that looks like this: (my own) :are my own cats that I put in; ShadowClan was in such a poor state of only four warriors that I added some just to make them look a bit more intimidating!**

**Enjoy!**

**Alliances**

_**THUNDERCLAN**_

**LEADER:** Firestar-Flame-colored ginger tom, green eyes

**DEPUTY:** Brambleclaw-Dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes

**Apprentice, Berrypaw**

**MEDICINE CAT:** Leafpool-Brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**WARRIORS: ****(toms and she-cats without kits)**

Sandstorm-sandy she-cat, green eyes

**Apprentice, Honeypaw**

Dustpelt-brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Hazelpaw**

Cloudtail-longhaired white tom, blue eyes

**Apprentice, Cinderpaw**

Ashfur-pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, blue eyes

Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Poppypaw**

Birchfall-light brown tabby tom

Whitewing-white she-cat with green eyes

Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook)-light brown tabby she-cat, gray eyes

Stormfur-dark gray tom, amber eyes, formerly of RiverClan

Sorreltail-tortoiseshell and white she-cat, amber eyes

Spiderleg-long legged black tom with a brown underbelly, amber eyes

**Apprentice, Mousepaw**

Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches

**APPRENTICES:**** (kits over six moons old, in training to become warriors)**

Mousepaw-gray and white tom

Hazelpaw-small gray and white she-cat

Honeypaw-light brown tabby she-cat

Berrypaw-cream-colored tom

Poppypaw-tortoiseshell she-cat

Cinderpaw-gray tabby she-cat

**QUEENS:**** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Ferncloud-pale gray (with darker flecks), green eyes, mother of Dustpelt's kits Foxkit and Icekit

Squirrelflight-ginger with green eyes, mother of Brambleclaw's kits Jaykit, Hollykit, Lionkit, and Tinderkit_ (OC-adopted with the story by Cinderpaw11)_

Daisy-cream she-cat from the HorsePlace

**ELDERS:**** (warriors and queens, now retired)**

Longtail-pale tabby tom with black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Mousefur-dusky brown she-cat

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER:**Onestar-Brown tabby tom

**DEPUTY:**Ashfoot-Gray she-cat

**MEDICINE CAT:** Barkface-Short-tailed brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Kestrelpaw**

**WARRIORS:**

Crowfeather-dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Heatherpaw**

Nightcloud-black she-cat

Tornear-tabby tom _(AN: This is how he was described throughout the ENTIRE series; it really bugged me, because the Erins never specified what TYPE of tabby he was!) _**Apprentice, Harepaw**

Owlwhisker-light brown tabby tom

Weaselfur-ginger tom with white paws

Whitetail-small white she-cat

**Apprentice, Breezepaw**

Wolftooth-dark gray tabby tom (My own)

Pidgeonflight-light silver she-cat (My own)

**ELDERS:**

Morningflower-very old tortoiseshell she-cat

Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER:** Leopardstar-Unusually spotted golden she-cat

**DEPUTY:** Mistyfoot-Gray she-cat, blue eyes

**MEDICINE CAT:** Mothwing-Dappled golden she-cat

**Apprentice, Willowpaw**

**WARRIORS:**

Blackclaw-smoky gray tom

Voletooth-small brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Minnowpaw**

Mosspelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Pebblepaw**

Reedwhisker-black tom

**Apprentice, Pouncepaw**

Beechfur-light brown tom

Silverdrop-silver tabby she-cat with green eyes (my own)

Frenzycloud-dark gray she-cat, stormy blue eyes (my own)

Rippletail-dark gray tom

**QUEENS:**

Dawnflower-pale gray tabby she-cat

**ELDERS:**

Swallowtail-dark tabby she-cat

Heavystep-thickset tabby tom

Stonestream-gray tom

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER:** Blackstar-White tom with jet-black paws

**DEPUTY:** Russetfur-Dark ginger she-cat

**MEDICINE CAT:** Littlecloud-Small tabby tom

**WARRIORS:**

Rowanclaw-ginger tom

**Apprentice, Ivypaw**

Oakfur-small tabby tom

Snowbird-white she-cat

Smokefoot-black tom

**Apprentice, Owlpaw**

Viperfang-black and brown tabby she-cat, blue eyes (My own)

Grayfoot-dark gray tabby tom (My own)

Barleytail-cream and white she-cat (My own)

**QUEENS:**

Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**ELDERS:**

Tallpoppy-long-limbed light brown tabby she-cat

Cedarheart-dark gray tom


	2. Prologue

**This is the prologue that I adopted from Cinderpaw11.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own warriors, or these cats; Tinderkit is Cinderpaw11's, not mine, although now it is my story.**

Prologue

Squirrelflight and Leafpool silently padded back to camp, each carrying one kit in their mouth, and one on there back. Earlier Squirrelflight gave birth to four kits. One was a ginger tom, like her father, and they pondered if the eye color would be green, to resemble the aging leader. The second was a dark, midnight black she-cat, which mewled loudly on the trip back to camp. The third was a light gray tom, which was silently scratching at Squirrelflight's tail, slipping from her back. The fourth was the most curious of them all. She had already opened her eyes. She was dark gray with orange flecks. Her eyes were a very pale turquoise color, and she had recently jumped off and had almost mastered walking, in a few minutes. She was pawing at the gray toms tail, making him slip off quicker, and soon, he plopped into the snow unhappily. He let out a frustrated hiss, and the odd-one-out kit dragged him along, following the two she-cats. They stopped near the entrance of the camp, and put the kits down.

"So what are there names?" Squirrelflight asked.

Leafpool purred, "They're yours, remember?" she mewed with a sad wink.

Squirrelflight glanced down at the gray and orange-flecked kit, who had dropped the gray tom and was curiously gazing at them, eyes wide as she watched the two.

"I want to name her Tinderkit. But I don't want to name the others. You name two, and Brambleclaw can name the last one." Squirrelflight meowed.

"How about Hollykit for the black one? After Ferncloud's old kit. And the gray one can be Jaykit. He is the color of one." She purred.

"You know a jay is a bird. And so is a crow. Any reason for that?" Squirrelflight mewed meaningfully. Without waiting for an answer, she picked up the ginger tom kit and padded into camp, Leafpool following shortly after, carrying Jaykit, and Tinderkit nudging Hollykit along.

When they arrived, Brambleclaw was pacing back and forth, with Ferncloud looking around anxiously behind him.

Brambleclaw spotted them quickly. "Squirrelflight? Leafpool?" He yowled, "Kits!" Squirrelflight nodded happily, and Brambleclaw picked up Hollykit and bolted to the nursery, Squirrelflight in hot pursuit. Leafpool dragged behind to make sure Tinderkit followed.

Soon, four kits were nuzzled up against Squirrelflight, suckling noisily.

Bramblclaw purred "Have you named any?" he asked.

Squirrelflight nodded, pointing her tail to them in turn, "The black she-cat is Hollykit," Ferncloud gasped softly somewhere behind them. "The gray tom is Jaykit," she continued, "And the gray she-cat with orange flecks, is Tinderkit. I want you to name the last one. The ginger tom."

Brambleclaw purred louder, "How about… Lionkit? He kind of looks like the old deputy, Lionheart."

Squirrelflight nodded, giving Tinderkit a small lick on the head, "She sure is a unique one." As if on cue, Tinderkit sneezed, milk coming out her nose as she did so.

Leafpool purred, "Unique? Or just a silly kit?"

"Both." Ferncloud piped up from behind them.

"I'm going to tell Sandstorm and Firestar." Brambleclaw mewed.

"And I'm going to go get borage. With four kits, you'll need it!" Leafpool mewed, leaving the den after Brambleclaw, and returning a few moments later with herbs stuffed in her mouth.

She placed them at Squirrelflight's feet, "I'm going to my den now, it's been a long night."

Squirrelflight yawned, "I know."


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_ Tinderkit ran as fast as her legs would carry her, her _tail streaming out behind her and just barely dancing above the flames. The fire was sweeping rapidly toward her, threatening to engulf her.

Suddenly she ran into a ring of fire, unable to get out with red-orange flames burning the hair from her pelt and stinging her eyes as soot and ash swirled around her.

"Help!" She wailed, but her voice was lost in the crackled of flames. Her sapphire eyes darted around in fear, her last hope burning away.

The fire was coming closer and closer, burning away the brush and dried bracken that littered the ground around her. When the fire reached her paws, the ground beneath her dissolved, and she found herself falling fast into darkness.

Tinderkit woke with a start, feeling Lionkit's heavy weight shifting above her. She opened her eyes, and to her relief the dangerous fire of her dreams was gone, and the smell of milk and the mewling of Foxkit and Icekit surrounded the now-crowded nursery.

"Come on, Tinderkit! Play with us!" Hollykit yowled, rolling over a ball of moss. Tinderkit shoved Lionkit off of her, giggling as he yelped in surprise.

"All right. Hey, Jaykit!" Tinderkit called, and Jaykit, who had been sleeping beside her, stirred and blinked open his sightless blue eyes.

"What?" He mumbled, and Tinderkit batted his ear.

"We're playing with moss, want to join?" she mewled excitedly. Jaykit just murmured something and got up to play. Tinderkit shoved him in the direction of the moss, but he broke away from her with a hiss.

"I know where I'm going!" He snapped, and shoved her away. Tinderkit blinked, but just followed him toward their litter mates.

"Okay," Hollykit mewed when the kits were gathered, "I'm on Lionkit's team, and Tinderkit is with Jaykit." Tinderkit nodded, but Jaykit hissed in annoyance.

"I'm _always _with Tinderkit; can I be with Lionkit instead?" He whined, and Hollykit rolled her bright green eyes. Tinderkit felt slightly hurt by Jaykit's comment, for she liked being paired with him very much. But she just shrugged and joined Hollykit's team instead.

Lionkit crouched, and Hollykit threw the moss ball into the air. Tinderkit raced after it, and she tumbled toward Lionkit who was running toward the moss ball at top speed. Hollykit moved the ball from the center, and both Lionkit and Tinderkit went barreling into Ferncloud's kits, Jaykit just barely edging out of the way.

Tinderkit heard a muffled mew, and she quickly scrambled up from her position on top of Icekit, who was mewling for her mother's milk.

"Tinderkit," Ferncloud scolded, "be more careful. Honestly!" Ferncloud cuffed her over the ear, and Tinderkit backed away, ears flat in guilt.

"Is she alright?" Tinderkit mumbled, and Ferncloud looked over Icekit carefully, who was nuzzling up to Foxkit for warmth.

"She's fine. You four are getting a bit big for the nursery; you ought to be apprentices soon." Ferncloud observed, and Tinderkit stood a little straighter. She was excited for apprenticeship, for all of the battles and adventures that awaited her as a warrior...

Hollykit puffed out her chest proudly. "We _will_ be apprentices in another moon!" Lionkit nodded eagerly.

The nursery entrance rustled, and Tinderkit looked up to see her mother padding into the den. Her ginger pelt reminded Tinderkit of a beautiful sunset, and her green eyes were pools of joy that looked down warmly upon her kits.

"Mother!" Hollykit yowled, and she ran over to her. She started purring as Squirrelflight greeted her other kits.

"Morning," Squirrelflight greeted Ferncloud. Ferncloud mewed her hello.

"Your kits ought to go outside," Ferncloud mewed, giving a cold look in Tinderkit's direction. "They're a bit rambunctious today."

Squirrelflight dipped her head. "I'll take them. Come on, let's leave Ferncloud and her kits to rest." Tinderkit nodded and followed Squirrelflight outside, shivering as Ferncloud kept her harsh gaze trained on her back until she was out of her sight. She knew that Ferncloud wasn't very fond of her, even if she had nursed her and her litter mates when Squirrelflight's milk hadn't come. Tinderkit had heard rumors that she was different from her birth; Ferncloud had told her that her eyes were open too early, and that she had almost mastered walking when she had just been born. Tinderkit knew that these were probably true, on account that Squirrelflight didn't argue with Ferncloud for being so rude.

Squirrelflight led the kits outside of the nursery, away from the thorny entrance and toward the apprentices' den. Tinderkit felt warmth and excitement spread through her; she and her litter mates would be _living _here in just a moon!

"Now, you kits behave; I have important duties to attend to, and I don't have time to make sure you stay out of trouble." Squirrelflight warned, and Tinderkit saw a mischievous gleam in Lionkit's eyes.

"We'll be good, mother," Hollykit promised. Squirrelflight looked doubtful, but she left them anyway, padding toward their father Brambleclaw who was speaking with Firestar about something.

"Hey, you want to battle?" Lionkit asked them as soon as their mother was out of earshot. Jaykit looked uncertain, but Hollykit was nodding vigorously.

"Come on, Jaykit, it'll be fun. We promise not to get on your blind side." Hollykit insisted, but Jaykit bristled in his defense.

"Who says I was hesitating?" Jaykit retorted, "Come on, let's go!"

"I want to be Hollystar, leader of ThunderClan, and you can be the evil ShadowClan warriors who are infiltrating the camp." Hollykit proclaimed, but Tinderkit wasn't really listening. Instead, she was looking at Brambleclaw and Firestar.

She tuned into their conversation. "A dead fox?" Firestar was meowing, looking worried. "And Thornclaw said it was female and, by what Spiderleg has told me, had the scent of milk, so it must have cubs. Ashfur, guard the entrance, and Stormfur and Brook patrol the area outside of camp; Brightheart and Cloudtail, patrol the ShadowClan border where the earth is most likely for a den. Squirrelflight, Cinderpaw, you two go with Thornclaw and Spiderleg to where the fox and traps were. Poppypaw, Mousepaw, you may go if you listen to your mentors' every command. Brambleclaw, go with Brightheart and Cloudtail."

"Yes, Firestar." Brambleclaw dipped his head, and started to round up the warriors. Tinderkit looked back toward her litter mates, a plan forming in her mind.

"Hey guys!" Tinderkit called, and Hollykit's and Jaykit's fight over who would be leader was interrupted.

"What?" Lionkit asked.

Tinderkit took a deep breath. "There's a dead fox on ThunderClan territory!"

"What?" Hollykit gasped, but Lionkit looked eager.

"Where? Did you hear?" Jaykit breathed. Tinderkit felt a spark of bravery.

Tinderkit pricked her ears."I think Thornclaw said that it was lakeside of the camp, near the Sky Oak. But Brambleclaw is gathering a patrol. Maybe we could help them look for the cubs!"

Lionkit bounced in place. "Great idea! I bet we can catch a mangy cub! Come on, there they are!" He flicked his tail toward the growing patrol of Brightheart, Cloudtail, Brambleclaw, Ashfur, Squirrelflight, and all of the rest were standing at the base of the stone hollows. Tinderkit led the way, running toward them with her litter mates behind.

"Brambleclaw!" Tinderkit panted, and their father looked down at her with kind amber eyes.

"What is it, Tinderkit?" he asked, warmth in his voice. Tinderkit was encouraged by his kind tone.

"We want to join the patrol," Tinderkit squeaked, pawing at the ground anxiously. Jaykit said nothing, just stared into the distance.

Brambleclaw's eyes danced with laughter and sadness. "No, kits," he mewed slowly, "this is a very special patrol; you're a bit too young to join in yet."

Lionkit squared his shoulders defiantly. "We want to help the Clan!"

Brambleclaw shook his head. "You can help by staying here and watching the kits." he mewed patiently. He flicked his tail and the patrol disappeared through the entrance.

Tinderkit felt a flash of sadness. "Well, that didn't work."

Lionkit still looked determined. He padded toward the entrance to the camp. "Well, are we going to get that fox or not?"

Tinderkit and Hollykit exchanged a look of surprise. "But, father told us-" Hollykit stuttered.

"Yes, I know what he told us," Lionkit interrupted, looking anxious. "but he just said to watch the kits because he didn't want us pestering him or getting in the way."

Jaykit bounced on his feet. "Let's go! I'm going to prove that we can do it!"

"We won't be missed," Tinderkit insisted as she saw that Hollykit looked uncertain. She shuffled her paws.

"We'll be breaking the warrior code by leaving camp by ourselves." Hollykit protested.

"We aren't apprentices yet, or warriors," Lionkit scoffed, "So we don't have to follow the code. C'mon, Hollykit! If we kill the cubs, we'll be heros!"

"...Alright." Hollykit murmured. Lionkit nodded approval, and all of the kits started for the tunnel. Tinderkit looked around, but hardly any warriors were paying attention to them. She flicked her tail to signal the coast was clear, and the kits quietly left the camp.

Tinderkit opened her jaws instinctively, taking in the scents of frost; it was leaf-bare in the forest, no time for a kit to be wandering around.

Jaykit, beside her, closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "He said it was by the Sky Oak?"

Tinderkit nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her. She mewed instead, "Yes. Lakeside of camp."

Lionkit suddenly hissed, "Hide! Patrol!" Tinderkit ducked into some thorn bushes, feeling them scrape her pelt. She longed for it to be green-leaf, when there would be more vegetation to hide their pelts. Lionkit and Jaykit squirmed beside her, Hollykit far to her right. She held her breath as the scents of Thornclaw and Spiderleg approached, and she heard their footfalls not far away. She saw through wide eyes as they stepped right in front of their bush; she could hear their conversation.

"We must scout around for the den," Thornclaw mewed, "and the she-fox could not have strayed far from her cubs. They will be hungry by now; a threat to the Clan. We should first search near the dead fox." Tinderkit held her breath as Spiderleg mewed his agreement. Squirrelflight and Cinderpaw called from up ahead, and the two toms padded away.

As soon as they had left, the kits slowly emerged from their hiding place.

"That was too close," Tinderkit mewed, shaking thorns from her fur. Hollykit and the others nodded agreement.

They padded onward, Tinderkit smelling fresh water. "We're getting close."

Jaykit twitched his whiskers. "I smell milk."

"Then we must be close to the den!" Hollykit exclaimed. She bounded off, Jaykit snorting in annoyance as he padded after her. Tinderkit wondered how he could scent the milk still so far from the lakeshore. She shook her head; she would hardly understand her brother.

They soon reached the Sky Oak, and Tinderkit gasped as she looked up the twisting trunk. Its gnarled branches were high above her head, and she saw with a shiver that it was stripped of all its leaves for the winter.

"Come on," Lionkit whispered, "Jaykit smells the cubs!" Tinderkit pushed down her excitement. The cubs were probably no bigger than them, if they still nursed; why, they were probably still newborns!

The kits padded silently around the Oak, and Jaykit's bristling form alerted them of the fox den. It was a small hole in the ground between the roots of the tree, and Tinderkit was surprised by how small it was.

"It's no bigger than a rabbit's den!" Lionkit exclaimed. Tinderkit slowly approached the den, a stink unlike one she had experienced entering her nose. She flicked her tail to signal to her litter mates that it was clear, and she headed down the hole. It was cramped and smelled of dirt, but Tinderkit could sense the shapes of the cubs ahead of her. She felt a jolt of fear as she heard their scrabbling, and she realized that there might be more than one; and they sounded a lot bigger than what she had thought.

She let out a threatening hiss, and she felt her brothers and sister behind her, breathing hard. The cubs let out a harsh bark, and suddenly a shadow leaped forward at Tinderkit.

Tinderkit squealed, "Run!" As claws scraped over her muzzle. It was dark, and she felt blood welling in her wound. Hollykit, who was nearest the exit, led the way out, followed by Jaykit, and Lionkit. Tinderkit scrabbled up the tunnel and out into the open, feeling the fox's hot breath on her hindquarters. She squealed in terror, and she briefly saw Thornclaw let out a shocked yowl as the kits streaked into the forest, followed by four fox cubs much bigger than newborns.

Tinderkit streaked through the undergrowth, passing through thorn bushes so the fox would be slowed down; but the cub just passed through them harmlessly, leaving Tinderkit thorn-ridden and bleeding. She saw Jaykit being chased by the largest of the cubs, and she saw that Jaykit was heading straight toward the edge of the stone hollow in camp.

"Jaykit!" Tinderkit yowled, and as soon as Jaykit turned around to look at her, him and the fox cub disappeared over the edge of the gorge.

Tinderkit felt sick to her stomach, but she kept running, heading toward the scent of open air. She burst out of the forest, splashing into a river that appeared out of nowhere. The fox cub yelped as it entered the water, and scrambled out of the fast-moving current away from ThunderClan territory.

Meanwhile, Tinderkit was struggling to keep her head above the ice-cold water, and she saw with horror that she was being carried downriver toward the large lake far in the distance.

"Helllllpppp!" She gurgled, water spilling into her mouth. Her head went under, and her body was being flipped over and over as she tossed in the current. She shut her eyes, the last of her air escaping her. She opened her eyes again, trying to find which way was the surface. She only saw light everywhere, and she couldn't tell which way was up or down. She felt reality slipping, and she saw that a strange calm and darkness was engulfing her, and she knew that she would drown...

A pair of strong jaws clamped around her scruff, and suddenly Tinderkit was being pulled up onto the surface. She opened her eyes as water poured out of her mouth, and she started to cough. She shivered as a leaf-bare wind blew across her wet fur, and she looked around, trying to find her rescuer.

She saw that she was back in her territory, a bit farther than where she had arrived with the fox; and that a dark gray tom sat on the other side of the river on the moor. Both cats looked at each other for a moment, then the dark gray tom padded away; Tinderkit watched his figure until he was but a speck in the distance.

The bushes rustled behind her, and suddenly Poppypaw, Mousepaw, Thornclaw, and Squirrelflight were bursting out of the undergrowth.

"Tinderkit!" Squirrelflight exclaimed, "Thank StarClan we found you! Are you all right? You're shaking like a leaf."

Tinderkit shakily flicked her sopping gray tail at the river.

"Oh dear," Thornclaw mewed. He looked in the bushes sternly, and Lionkit and Hollykit padded out with their tails dragging in the dust.

Once Hollykit saw what had happened to her sister, she looked away with a painful expression on her face.

"Kits. You've been very naughty," Squirrelflight mewed coldly. "When we get back to camp, you shall receive a suitable punishment." Tinderkit felt hollow, and, shivering with wet and cold, she followed her mother and litter mates towards the camp; and their consequence.

**Hope you like it! This is the first Chapter in the story done by me, except I did the alliances. Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 2

**Sorry for such a slow update! I was super busy these past two weeks! Happy 4****th**** of July—kind of late, but still!**

**Enjoy…**

**Chapter 2**

_ Tinderkit gazed out of the entrance to the _medicine den, watching as Lionkit and Hollykit were told their punishment. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were behind Firestar, looking angry and disappointed.

_It wasn't them, it was me!_ Tinderkit longed to wail, _I was the one who told them about the fox!_

She looked to where Jaykit was lying motionless in front of an anxious Leafpool. Tinderkit had known that he had fallen off of the gorge when the fox chased him over, and she now saw that he had taken serious damage. She had been relieved to find that he was breathing steadily.

She shivered and sneezed. Leafpool turned to look at her after rubbing poultices into Jaykit's fur; she shook her head and padded over to sit beside Tinderkit.

"I'll give you some herbs for shock," Leafpool mewed, then went to her herb stores. She returned with some bitter herbs, but Leafpool had mixed them with marigold so they would be easier to swallow.

"Thank you, Leafpool," Tinderkit sniffed, and she sneezed again.

"Ooh, we've better get you warm before you catch a cough." Leafpool murmured, and she gave her some more herbs. Tinderkit felt slightly better, but a small breeze on her damp pelt made her shiver. She hoped she didn't catch a sickness before her apprentice ceremony-if she had one at all.

She felt a stone drop deep into her stomach. She wondered what Firestar was telling Hollykit and Lionkit in the clearing; she looked out again, and saw that only Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight remained with Lionkit and Hollykit. Both of her litter mates were looking shameful, and Tinderkit continued to watch as Hollykit mewed something to their mother, who nodded; Lionkit glanced toward the nursery, then padded toward it with dragging tail.

Hollykit bounced over to the medicine den, stirring Jaykit beside her. "Tinderkit? Jaykit?" Hollykit whispered.

"Over here." Tinderkit answered, flicking her tail over to where Jaykit was resting with his head on his paws.

Hollykit padded over to them, looking sad. "What happened?" Tinderkit asked her.

Hollykit swallowed. "We are ordered to stay in the nursery, and as long as we listen and stay in camp, we can become apprentices next moon." Tinderkit breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.

Jaykit moaned, and Hollykit rushed over to him.

"I hurt." Jaykit groaned, and Leafpool appeared from the other side of the den.

Sorreltail suddenly burst into the den. "Brackenfur's coughing again."

Leafpool nodded. "Right, I'll give him some honey to sooth his throat. Hollykit, do you think you could groom Jaykit? He's really sore from his fall; mind the poultices."

"Okay." Hollykit mewed, wrinkling her nose. As Leafpool spoke with Sorreltail about the honey, Tinderkit saw that Hollykit's eyes were bright.

When Sorreltail had left, Hollykit watched as Leafpool made a poultice of comfrey.

"What're you doing?" Hollykit asked curiously.

"Making a poultice for wounds," Leafpool mewed, and she spat it out and started rubbing it on Jaykit's flank.

"You're not as gentle as Spottedleaf," Jaykit grumbled to Hollykit, who continued to groom his pelt.

"Spottedleaf?" Hollykit echoed, puzzled.

"Yeah. She came to me in my dreams to heal my sores." Jaykit sighed, remembering. Tinderkit pricked her ears; Jaykit was speaking to she-cats in his dreams?

Leafpool padded up to them. "You're telling her about Spottedleaf, aren't you?"

Jaykit nodded, and Hollykit looked confused.

"Who's she? You've never met her before, so how can you dream about her?" Tinderkit asked, curious.

Leafpool sat down, suddenly excited. "Spottedleaf was the medicine cat of ThunderClan when Firestar became an apprentice. She died before I was born, but she visits me in my dreams and guides me when I'm in times of trouble; or she warns me of trouble to come to our Clan." Hollykit looked more interested with every word, but Tinderkit didn't really like the idea of her ancestors speaking to her; it would be frightening to speak with the cats that had passed.

"Do you see Cinderpelt in your dreams?" Jaykit asked, and Tinderkit wondered who that might be.

Leafpool sighed. "No, I don't." Seeing Hollykit's and Tinderkit's puzzled expressions, Leafpool explained, "Cinderpelt was the medicine cat before me, and was my mentor; she died protecting Sorreltail from badgers." Tinderkit shivered.

Hollykit pricked her ears, and Tinderkit heard the faintest call from Ferncloud in the nursery. "That's Ferncloud."

"You've better be on your way," Leafpool mewed, "You've been in enough trouble already." Leafpool grabbed five poppy seeds from her herb stores and fed them to Jaykit; his eyes drooped, and soon he was fast asleep.

Hollykit padded toward the entrance to the den, then stopped and turned around. "Do you have to be old to take on an apprentice, Leafpool?"

Leafpool's eyes flashed. "Oh no. I can take an apprentice anytime."

"Does the medicine cat apprentice stay an apprentice until their mentor...?" Hollykit trailed off. Tinderkit finished her sentence, _died?_

Leafpool shook her head. "No. He can receive his full name and resume full duties as a medicine cat when his mentor is still alive."

Tinderkit was about to ask why she had said _he, _but Hollykit asked instead, "Do you have anyone in mind?"

Leafpool blinked. "I'm still open to suggestions."

Ferncloud called again and, with a quick goodbye, Hollykit exited the medicine den, her black tail disappearing through the entrance.

* * *

The next morning, Tinderkit awoke to a shuffling outside of the den. She sat up, feeling refreshed and dry for the first time in hours. She stood and stretched, purring as she cracked her sore muscles. She yawned, and looked over to say good morning to Jaykit.

She prodded the mass of gray fur, and she rolled him over. Tinderkit gasped and backed away.

Instead of her grumpy brother blinking his eyes, she saw empty eye sockets and a gaping, toothless mouth. Suddenly, Jaykit's fur and flesh drained from his body, leaving only a skeleton that blew away like dust in the wind. Tinderkit bristled, and shut her eyes as a wave of heat engulfed the medicine den.

_Oh, no, it's starting again!_ Tinderkit thought desperately as she tried to find a way out. She found a wall of brambles and she burst through them, racing away out of camp and into the dark forest ahead.

Once she was sure that the flames were behind her, she slowed and panted to a stop. She looked up, only to find a moonless and starless sky above, only darkness all around her.

Tinderkit cautiously padded through the forest, hearing the wails of cats in misery around her. There was no wind, no sound, only the pad of her feet and the shrieks of other cats.

Soon, she reached a clearing, much like the one she had encountered in another dream. She padded into its center, sapphire eyes darting warily around.

A voice echoed around her. "Don't be afraid, little kit." Across the plain, a shadow emerged from the dark forest beyond, and Tinderkit watched as a dark tabby tom approached her.

As Tinderkit bristled at his arrival, the tom just laughed and looked kindly at her. "Don't worry, I will not harm you." His voice was a smooth purr, and Tinderkit let her fur lie flat. She sat down, gazing up at the huge tom in front of her.

"Who are you? Where are we?" Tinderkit asked.

"I am Hawkfrost. I used to be a part of RiverClan, and my brother is your father."

Tinderkit's ears pricked. He was Brambleclaw's brother?

Hawkfrost continued, "As for where we are, sadly I do not know. It is a sorrowful place, this forest. Always so dark and forbidding, with no light and such dead and wilted plants." Tinderkit felt sorry for this poor cat, and seeing that he was upset she grazed her tail-tip gently over his hind leg, the farthest she could reach.

"Why are you here," Tinderkit asked, "if it's such a bad place?"

"...I don't know. Once I died, I expected to go to StarClan, but instead I came to this place. You see, this place was cut off from StarClan a long time ago, and the other cats here keep trying to find a way to connect it again. But alas," Hawkfrost sighed, "it could never be done, for we here do not have the strength of our ancestors to aid us."

Tinderkit felt so sad that she closed her eyes to sniffle. She wished there were something she could do to help.

Hawkfrost rested his tail-tip on her shoulder, making Tinderkit look up again. "Maybe there is something you could do to help us."

Tinderkit looked into his ice blue eyes. "Really?"

"Yes. Next time we meet, I will take you to my father. I'm sure he would be very pleased to meet you." Hawkfrost started to fade away, along with the forest, until Tinderkit found herself opening her eyes inside the medicine den once more.

**Please review, I promise I will update sooner than later. :)**


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